via WJON.com
ST. CLOUD – The St. Cloud Police Department’s SWAT team unveiled their new armored vehicle this (Monday) morning.I guess its to be expected but its still alarming.
The MRAP, which stands for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected, comes from the Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.
Lieutenant Jeff Oxton says the vehicle will help keep members of the SWAT team safe while responding to emergencies.
The cost to the city of St. Cloud is about $10,000 to retrofit it for police use. The vehicle is valued at over $400,000.
In it’s previous life it was used for training at Fort Ripley, Kansas. It has less than 3,600 miles on it.
Besides the St. Cloud police department, the Sheriff’s Departments in Sherburne County, Wright County, Dakota County, Pine County, St. Louis County, and Olmstead County also received vehicles.
I have a web watch setup to look for stories on police depts buying, being gifted or in general receiving MRAPs and its off the scale. There are stories at least twice a day and no matter how big or small the dept, they're laying their hands on military grade gear.
Its to be expected but it needs to stop. Give them to Kenya or the Philippines but stop militarizing US police depts.
